Nonrotary gel fuel homogenizer



Feb. 16, 1954 L, 1 GEERAERT 2,669,437

NONROTARY GEL FUEL HOMOGENIZER Filed July 26, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'l A Z60m c'efaefg Feb. 16, 1954 L.. J. GEERAERT NONROTARY GEL FUEL HOMOGENIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 26, 1952 230622??? lfm CZ 52665167126 Feb. 16, 1954 A.1. GEERAERT NONROTARY GEL FUEL HOMOGENIZER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 26, 1952 lzuilf- Patented Feb. 16, 1.954

v'U'Nl'rao stares NoNao'rARY GEL FUEL fno1vioonNrzna Leon Ilean Geeraert, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to The Geeraert Corporation, New York, NH2., a

corporation of New York Application July 2c, icsaserial No. 301,129

The invention relates in Vgeneral to uid homogenizers and has for its primary object to provide a portable device ci this kind which is suiciently compact and light in weight to be practicable for military use as an integral part of a Vflame thrower gun in order that the lethal fuel therefor, which is a gel composed of gasoline'thickened by addition of napalm, may be produced while the gun is being fired in combat to meet'the needs of the moment only, since this mode of production possesses important advantages affecting the logistics of battleeld supply.

In this connection, it may be explained that in military combat operations gasoline, which constitutes about sixty per cent of the gel fuelmixture, is extensively required for consumption in the engines of motorvehicles, tanks, electrical generators, etc., and therefore is a munition of war whose supply in quantities adequate to meet all needs may be prohibited by existing combat conditions. -It follows that, in a iuid combat situation, it is highly undesirable to have substantial quantities of gasoline irrecoverably diverted to the production of flame thrower fuel in advance of an attack when the exact requirements are not known and the normal tendency leans toward overproduction. Obviously, lit `is much more economical to commit the required gasoline to mixture with napalm in production e ofthe gel fuel only while the latter is actually being` consumed in combat firing of a fiame thrower gun. Any unused gasoline is thereby saved for the general reserve supply. Moreover,

'whenever the flame thrower gun is carried by a lmost needed.

Heretofore, this more economical mode of gel fuel production has not been feasible due to the lack of a homogenizer of suitable compactness and weight. Rotary homogenizers are prohibitively bulky and heavy, due to the inclusion of moving parts, prime mover, and power transmission means.

I achieve my primary object by providing a non-rotary homogenizer of extremely small size in which napalm and gasoline under pressure come together in high velocity streams in the emulsication process, Vand by combining the homogenizer with a name thrower gun in such a manner that the ring trigger of the gun controls the now of the above enumerated gel in gradients.

Another object of the invention is to utilize 1o claims. (ci. 25a-ir,

the improved non-rotary homogenizer in a new homogenization process wherein the gel produced is a stable combination of colliodally dispersed napalm and vgasoline, the former beingthe dispei-sed phase and the letter being the continuous phase. ItV isv -to be understood, however, that my homogeniz'er is not a colloid mill. The napalm enters the homogenizer inra liquefied co1- loidalstate created theretofore elsewhere in the line 'of supply by a truecoiloid mill.

To be more explicit, the physical structure ofy my improved homogenizer includes means to impart high-velocity vortical motion to a stream of gasoline and simultaneously injectnapalm in its liquefied colloidal state and under high pressure into the gasoline stream in the region -of the so-called vortex tube, thereby causing the colloidal particles of napalm to become dispersed uniformly in the gasoline through the influence of centrifugal force to formv a stable gel emul sion suitable for the intended use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a homogenizer structure which employs a system of spiral flow generating means including channels and'baie plates of diiferent pitch characteristics arranged in three distinct successive zones, whereby, in-the primary zone, vortical motionis initially imparted to the incoming stream ofvgasoline; then, in the secondary zone, the pitch ofthe spiral path is reduced to increase the velocityrof circular motion with proportionate increase'in generation of centrifusal force; and iinally,in a tertiary, more extensive zone, the pitch of the spiral path is gradually increased to restore the axial velocity of the stream v'of fluid, which by this time has become to the gel mixture after injection of napalm in the second zone, to that required for projection of a long-range rod 'of lethal fuel by the flame thrower gun.` The improved homogenzerl is specifically adapted to cooperate with the type of llame thrower gun disclosed in my'fcopending patent application Serial No. 289,746, filed May 24, 1952, wherein ring of the weapon is triggered by the valve means for controlling admission of gel fuel to the gun breech, so the discharge valve of the homogenizer actually servesas the gun trigger. This means that the fiow of gel fuel in the homogenizner is brought to a sudden stop every time the discharge valve is closed to cease firing. Under such conditions, the shock of sudden deceleration of velocity of the fuel stream would cause serious damage to the homogenizer structure if the pressure were not relieved in some way. It, therefore, is a further object of the invention to incorporate means for absorbngthat shock safely.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention should become apparent as the fol- *x o lowing specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. lisaside velevation of ahomogenizer cona reduced scale, through thehomogenizerbody in zone Y, showing the degree of stagger of the slots between baffle plate segments in adjacent baniennits to effect low pitch in the spiral path oiiiuid motion; and Fig. is a similar view,'show ing the degree of bale plate inter-segment slot stagger in Vzone Z to increase the pitch and consecuentaxial Velocity of ow. i Y y VV`Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary section through bafflle plate segments in zones Yand Z, respectively, showing in broken lines the increase in angle of incidence which is applied to the leading edges of the segmentsin zone Z over that in zene Y Eig, 'l is a detail fragmentary cross-sectional view olfuone of the bale plate segments, showing the direction of fluid ow as controlled thereby.

Eig. s'. alongitudinal diagrammatic view of the homogenizer, showing the direction of flow cfr gasoline and napalm particles in the successive zones of vertical motion; Fig. 9 is a similar View in a transverse plane; and Fig. l0 is -another diagrammatic View in a longitudinal plane, showing with particularity the aerial4 trend ofV flow in the successive zones, Y

1 Reierrioe in detail to the drawings. in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, disclose the principal structural elements of thehomoeeoizer in .its preferred .form- The hollow body 30 in which the hornogenizing processtalses pleoefirioliides a cylindrical side weil member 3! which is clamped with o fluidtieht joint between hollow end Wou members 32 and .33 by tie-bolts 34 The. .interior of body 3 forms a Vorte chamber 35 into which gasoiine and liquefied napalm enter under externally ai?" plied pressure (of the order of 2.500 lbs. per sq. in.) and are united in highevelocity vortical motion and from which" emerges the stable gel fuel proeiuei of that action- The. ",nePaIm which is intended to be the dispersed phase ingredient in military use of the improvedl homogeniger is, a special aluminum .soapg or a mixture of such soaps, whichwas developed by andr for the Chemical Warfare Service (now Chemical Corps), U. S. Army, in the prep,-

farationof thickened fuel compositions for flame throwers.

'The means for imparting initial vortical motion to the entering gasoline streamincludes a primary impeller 36 of inverted frusto-c'onical general form, which is set in a chamber 31 of matching form provided in lower end wallmember 32. VI'mpeller 36 hasspiralperipheral'grooves o1' channels 38 which lead from gasoline intake port 3Q at the bottom of chamber 31V' to and through the o pen upper face of the latter. By arbitrary choice, grooves 3 8 are twisted in a direction designed to impel the fluid stream clock,- wise throughout its helical course as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. Intake port 39 is connested with a, easoliriesupply tank Knot shown)- When vortical motion is Vimparted to a mass of fluid, as in this instance, a cavity or vacuum is created in the center of motionk and-is known technically as the vortex tube.l I ,have taken advantage of this phenomenon to install, along the central, vortex tube region of chamber 35 throughout a minor axial extent thereof (zone Y in Fig. l0) and immediately above impeller 36 Aand its grooves `(zoneX in Fig. 10) means for injecting the liquefied napalm ingredient into the whirling stream of gasoline. In this way, the vacuum is utilized to vaporize the injected napalm and thereby produce a momentary suspension 'of vapor molecules in a liquid, which is highly conducive to the initiation of colloidal dispersion of napalm in gasoline.

The napalm injection means just outlined preferably comprises a conduit formed by concentric outer and inner tubes 43 and 4I, respectively. Outer tube 4o has its upper end aixed in suitable manner, as by screwthreaded engagement, with upper end wall member 33 of body 30. The lower end of tube it? is screwthreaded into the central Y portion or" impeller 36, whereby axial thrust` on the latter by the high-velocity gasoline stream is effectively resisted. The inside diameter' of tube 4t exceeds the outside diameter of tube 4l to a degree designed torprovide a napalm conel ducting channel 42 therebetween.v Top and bottom centering blocks 43 and 44 ,.respectively, are stepped in external diameter to fit inside tubes lo and 4i' and thereby preserve the concentricity of said tubes. Block 44 serves to closethe lower end of channel 42, but block 43 has peripheral channels 45 which establish intercommunication between channel 42 and napalm intake port 43, which latter is located centrally inupper end wall member 33.

Near its lower end, outer tube 40 is provided with a large number of minute radial orifices 41, which are arranged in axially spaced rows, for injection of napalm from channel 42 into Chamfber 35.

Spiral progress of gasolinerand the gel produced following injection of napalm into the initial gasoline stream is guided and controlled in velocity and pressure from the lower end of chamber 35 to the upper end of the same (zones Y and Z in Fig. l0) by a series of annular baiile units 48 of graduated axial thickness, which are mounted in superimposed relationv in a pile structure. Each baie unit. is composed ofv a base ring 48 and a surmounting baie plate 48, which latter is divided by plural radial slots I9v into segmental deflecting portions 5D. Considering the direction of fluid now through the annular channels 5I afforded between baffle plates 48 (see arrows in Figs. 3 and 7) the trailing edge of each segmental deecting portion 5lies in a' plane perpendicular to the axis of chamber 35, whereas the leading edge thereof is upturned for the purpose of deiiecting liquid in a oontinuousspiral course upwardly from each annular channel 5l into the next higher one. The slots 49 of the baffle plates of adjacent baille units are staggered in position, whereby each slot of each baille plate is. masked axially by segmental deflecting por.- tions 50 of the adjoining baffle plates both above and below. This staggering of the slots determines the pitch of each of the helical sub-streams that penetrate each baflie unit as components of the general vortical stream passing upwardly tion is desired, the arrangement of adjacent baille plates and their slots is as shown in. Fig. 4. Throughout the remaining upper portion of chamber 35 (zone Z in Fig. A10) ,y where gradually increasing pitch is required, the degree .of stagger is decreased, as shown inFig. 5,.and the angle of incidence (Fig. 7) of the deflecting portions lof the successivebailie plates is proportionately increased.4 The increase in pitch ofthe spiral fluid pathservesto increase the axial velocity of the gel= .on its way to the discharge meanswhich Willbe described presently.

Those relatively fewbaffle units 48 which are located in the napalm injection region (zone Y in Fig. 10) are substantially equal in numberand axial spacing to the vparallel rows of voriiices 4l .in tube 40. The base-rings 48 of these particular baiileunits are-provided with radial orifices 52 in cooperative registration with lthe respective ,orifices 41 to extend communication of the latter intointer-baiile plate channels 5I.

It will be observed in Figs. l to 3, inclusive, that upper end wall member 33 of body st has a gel discharge port 53 controlled by valve means 54, -which preferably includes a valve stem 55 mounted for tangential reciprocation in yvalve body 56 and having a valve plug 5l engageable with seat 58 in closed position under the influence of valve-closing spring 59. Trigger 65 of the flame thrower gun withY which the .homogenizer is to be integrally associated is attached to valve stem 55 and projects exteriorly from valve body 56 f or` manipulation in firing the iiame thrower gun. As has already been explained, the gun is triggered by theopening of the discharge valve valve 54. Vapor lock is also prevented.

of the homogenizer,A i. e. valve 54. Gel supply pipe 6| is coupled to discharge port 53 and serves lto supply gelfuel to the gun breech of the name thrower (not shown). I The opening and closing of discharge valve 54 falso serves to start and stop admission of gasoline and napalm to the vortex chamber of the homogenizer.v y

vNapalm is supplied to intake port 46 through An orice 63 controlled by adjustable needle-Valve 84 connects napalm intake port 46 with channels 45 in centering block 43.

Needle-valve 64 thus serves to regulate the rate of admission of napalm and may be used to establish the volumetric ratio of napalm to gasoline in the gel mixture, which usually is about .percent napalm to percent gasoline.

Pressure gauges 65 and 66 are iitted to end wall members 32 and 33, respectively, in communication with gasoline intake port 39 and Inapalm intake port 46, to afford visual indication of the pressure condition at all times.

When trigger-operated gel discharge valve 54 is closed suddenly to cease ring, the high momentum of the fluid stream is checked so abruptlythat damage to the homogenizer structure would be certain to occur if pressure relief and shock-absorbing means were not provided. Therefore, pressure relief and shock-absorbing means have been added to vortex chamber 35 in close proximity to each of the intake ports -'39 and 46.

Adjacent to gasoline intake port 39, a lateral vboss 61 is formed on lower end wall member 32. This boss has a cylindrical chamber 68 opening through its outer` face and a reduced concentric passage 69 leading from the inner end of Y, said chamber into communication with gasolinelintake port 39. A by-passv pipe 68' leads from chamber 68 (full lines in Fig. 1 and broken lines in Fig. 2) back to the gasoline supply tank.v A valve seat 10 is provided at Ythe juncture of passage 89 with chamber 6B. A valve plug 'Il has a body portion 1 I mounted for axial reciprocation in passage k69 and an annular ange portion 1l at the outer end of body portionvll'. forengagement with seat 70 when thevalve is pressed inward to close said passage. .The body portion 1 I of valve plug 'l iis provided with longitudinal peripheral grooves 'l2 toV establish com- Inunicationl between passageY 69 .and chamber 68 when valve plug 'il is in Vopen position. Spring means 'I3 to urge lvalve plug 'H into closed position includes a stuffing box 'I4 secured removably to boss 61 in closing relation, to chamber 68 by suitable means, such asbolts '15. Stuing box 'I4 has a cylindrical chamber 'I6 equal in diameterto boss chamber 68 and disposed in alignment therewith. A piston-like packing gland 'Il is mounted for reciprocal-,ion in chamber. 16 of stuiing box 'I4 and has peripheral packing lrings 73 to prevent fluid leakage around packing gland '11. An adjusting screw 'i9 journaled in the end wall of stuiiing boxlll for external engagement by a- Vwrench or other turning implement (not shown) has screwthreaded engagementwith packing gland 11. A coil spring 68 fitted in an annular recess 8l in the inner end of packing glandl'l presses a pointed bearing head 82 against the indented outer end of valve plug ll. Adjusting screw 'F9 serves vto permit manual adjustment of the tension of spring 89, whereby the pressure at which valve plug 1I may be opened by the gel stream may be predetermined to safeguard the homogenizer against the destructive eiTect of sudden stoppage of gel discharge through Up er end wall member 33 has a chambered boss 83 identical in construction with boss 6'! though smaller in size. The interior of boss 83 has a by-pass pipe 34 connecting the same with the source of napalm supply (not shown). Re'- lief valve means 85 identical with that constituted by parts (iQ-'lil-'H for the gasoline intake port is associated with napalm intake port45. Adjustable spring means S6 to maintain valve means 85 closed under safe napalm pressure feed conditions, which is identical with the corresponding spring means `associated with valve means 89-79-M, is located in boss 83 and is protected against fluid leakage by stung box means 8'! identical with stufiing box means 13. When the pressure in the napalm supply line becomes dangerously high upon sudden closure 'of gel discharge valve 54, relief valve means 85 will vent the napalm intake port 46 into by-pass pipe 84.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the operation of the device will be recounted. i

Fig. 8 represents by solid line 88 the spiralling course of the flow of gasoline from intake port 39 upward with increasing pitch of its helix to region 83 which coincides with the location of gel discharge port 53 (Fig. 3). Broken line 90 represents the course of napalm from region 9|, which coincides with the location of intake port 46 (Fig. 2), down through passage 42 to region 92,

l,which coincides with the location of injection exerts. a vaporizing effect on the napalmspar= ticles andV lends impetus to the colloidalwdispersion process. 1

Fig. 10 represents in asomewhat different graphical manner the successive stages of now andiihomogenization action. For example, .X designates the zone in Which vorticalmotioni's initially imparted tok the. entering" gasoline stream by impeller v36; Y'indicates theA 'zonein which maximum circular velocity is imparted tothe gasoline s'treamlby the baffle units 113.v or lowest -pitch land in which napalm-injectionoccurs; and Z designates the zonerin which 'the now of'gel is decelcrated'in circular velocity and simultaneously- 'accelerated lin axial velocity to meet the required conditions of'di's'chargeifrom the homogenizer into the supply-line leading to the gun breech. Y

It will be understoodthat it is intended to cover all changes and modifications 'of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purpose 0f illustration which doV not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, claim: 1. A non-rotary homogenizer for producing a colloidally dispersed stable combi-nation of a dispersed phase ingredient and a continuous phase ingredient comprising: structural means providing a cylindrical vortex chamber having an intake' port'at one end to admit said continuous phase ingredient under externally applied pressure and a discharge port for the combined'product at its opposite end, said structural means also providing an intake port for the dispersed phase ingredient not directly communicating with the vortex chamber; immobile spiral ow generating means located in a primaryzone and. connected with the intake port for the continuous phase ingredient to impart initial'vortical motion to said ingredient under the iniiuence of its pressure whenadrnitted to the vortex chamber in a secondary zone and thereby generate a central vortex tube in the fluid stream; and injection means for said dispersed phase ingredient comp rising a conduit leading from the intake port therefor into the center of the Asecondary zone in the vortex chamber and having minute Yorifices in this zone only which establish communication between saidconduit andthe vortex tube of the iluid stream, whereby vaporizing suction is .exerted by said vortex tube upon Athe dispersed phase ingredient inside said injection conduit prior to issuance through the. orifices thereof.

2. A non-rotary homogenizer for 'producing a f' colloidally dispersed stable combination of a dispersed phaseV ingredient and a continuous phase ingredient comprising: structural means providingY a vortex chamber of elongated cylindrical form having an intake port for the continuous phase ingredient at one end and an intake port forthe dispersed phase ingredient together with a discharge port for the combined product at the opposite end, said vortex chamber being composed of a primary zone adjacent tothe intake port for the continuous phase ingredient, a secondary Zone of relatively short extent adjoining said primary zone, and a longer tertiary zone extending from said secondary zone to the discharge port; immobile spiral flow generating means located in said primary zoneto impart vortical motion to the stream'of continuous phase ingredienti when admitted through. thetintake iii) 8 port, therefor under externallyr applied .pressure and under the influence of said pressure; injec tion means Vfor vthe dispersed phase ingredientincluding tubular conducting passage means lead: ing from the intake vport 'for said ingredient :cene trally through'the' tertiary andsecondary, zones andterminating short of the primary zonevinfa closed end, fsaid Vconducting'passagev means lh'av'- ing radial orinces inthe secondary zone toin.

jectthe 'disp'ersedzphase ingredient into thelvortex 'tube region of the stream of` continuous phase ingredient; spiralflow generating Vmeans of low-pitch provided inthe secondaryzoneto increase the circular velocity o'fvor'tical flow in f said zone; and spiral flowgenerating means of high pitch provided in the tertiary zone to de celerate the circular velocity of now in'saidizone andlto accelerate'th'e axial Velocity ofowto'fward the discharge port. i'

3. A non-rotary homogenizer 'as dennedfin claim V2, wherein the spiral'. ow generating means in thetertiary zone is graduated-upward in pitch away from the 'secondary z'on'e.Y Y

4. A Ynon-rotary hoinogenizer as defined in claim 2, wherein the spiral flow generating means in the primary lzone is afrusto-conicalimpeller having spiral peripheral grooves leading froml'the intake port for the continuous'rphase'ingredint into the secondary zone. 1 1

5. A non-rotary homogeniz'eras defined"in claim v2, whereinA the spiral flowgenerating means in the secondary and tertiary Zon'esis composed of a series of 4axially spaced annular baie plates surrounding the tubularconnecting passage means for the dispersed phase ingredient, each baille 'plate being 'divided by'radial slots into. segmental deecting portions 4l'a'virig leading edges axially bent in the direction 'of now. l.

6. A non-'rotary homogenizer 'as dei-inedn in claim 5, wherein the slots in adjacent AVbaille plates are spirally staggered.

7. A non-rotary homogenizer as defined' 'in claimV 6, wherein 'the degree of staggern the tertiary zone exceeds that in the secondary zone.

8. A non-rotary hornoge'nizer` as defined fin claim 6, wherein 'the angle of incidence of the leading edges of the ballie plates in the tertiary .zone exceeds that in the secondary Zone.

9. A non-rotaryfhomogenizer as defined in claim 1, wherein means is located in the sec,- ondary zone to increase the circular velocity'of vortical now of the fluid stream above that in the primary f-zonef.

10. A non-rotaryY homogenizer as deiined` in claim 9, wherein means is providedin a tertiary zone Ybetween the secondary zone and the discharge port' to reduce circular velocity and increase axial velocity of the fluid stream.

Laon JEAN GEERAERT.:

aeieremes 'oued in me. nl@ of this patent mirra-'D srAfrEs Paras-'rs 

